Wrapping machine



June 30, 1953 c. A. GERLACH 2,643,499

WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 11, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet l www June 30, 1953 Filed Aug. ll,

C. A. GERLACH WRAPPING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 E; [lh

I im "Il June 30, 1953 c. A. GERLACH 2,643,499

WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Aug. ll, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 30, 1953 c. A. GERLACH WRAPPING MACHINE v 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. ll, 1949 Patented June S, 195:3

UNITED STATESY YPATENT OFFICE 2,643,49 4 WRAPPING MACHINE 'cari A. Gerlaeh, spring Lake, Mich. iiiic'atiii August 11, 1949, seri-ai No. 109,775 claims (o1. 53-102) This invention relates to improvements in a wrapping machine. More particularly, it has to do with a machine featuring a rotary conveyor adapted to carry a cylindrical roll, such as a roll of heavy kraft paper, successively through a wrapper"v applying and tucking station, a glue applying' station and end cap applying station. v A

While the invention will hereinafter be specifically described las a machine for wrapping large cylindrical rolls of paper,y it should be understood that the invention has -general utility for Wrapping any article of cylindrical configuration.

According to the generalv features of this invention, a wound roll of paper is fed through the various stations of the'wrapping machine on an intermittently operated wheel-like rotary conveyor. A plurality of arm members extend radially outwardly from the hub of the Wheel carrying separately driven rollers adjacent their inner hub ends. A roll to be wrapped is fed into position between a pair of adjacent arms and against the constantly( rotating rollers which frictionally lgrip the roll and rotate it about its own axis during its passage through arst sta'- tion at which a previously cut Wrapperris 'disposed around the roll and the end of the Wrapper tucked down against the end of the roll and a second station where a rim of glue is applied over the tucked end of the wrapper. After the glue is applied, a hydraulically operated cutter mechanism cuts two circular pieces, of paper from the feed roll and thrusts Athem* against the glued surfaces to` cloSethe end of the wrapper.

It is then an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism for 'feeding a wrapper to a cylindrical object for wrapping around the object, applying glue to portions of Said Wrapper and applying end caps to the wrapper.

Another object of this -invention is' to provide an improved wrapping machine for wrapping cylindrical objects that vvill wrap approximately ten rolls 'per minute and requires a very small amount of floor space for operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved means for covering a'roll with a wrapper and Ytuck'ing 'the overlapping ends of the wrapper down againstthe 'ends of the roll.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a novel end-tucking device for causing the overhangingedge of the Wrapper sheet to automatically form upstanding flaps which are bent down against the end face of the roll.

A still further object of this invention is to taten, 5a olla-in 329 which 2 provide a novel, more efficient shearing device for a wrapping machine.

Another and still further object of this invention' is to provide an' eicient, simple Wrapping machine especially adapted for use in a small shop whereoor space is limited.

Other and further features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyin'g drawings.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is al fragmentary side elevational view of a wrapping machine constructed in accordance with the" teachings of the present invention;

Figure 2V is a fragmentary front elevational View of the wrapping machine of Fig. 1;

` Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View taken on the line III-III of Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical side elevational View of the drive gears used in the wrapping machine of Fig. l, shown in their operating position, but removed from the Wrapping machine;

Figure 5 is 'a perspective view of the novel guide member used with' the wrapping machine of the present invention for facilitating the wrapping and tuck-ing of the Wrapper on the roll;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view taken on line V-f-VI 'of Fig. 3; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View taken' 'on line VII--Vll of Figure l.

As shown on the drawings:

vIn Figures l, 2 and3 the reference numeral I0 indicates a frame structure having a plurality of vertical and horizontal strap members suitably secured together, as by welding, to form a rigid box-like open structure. Upstanding plates I2 and I3 extend longitudinally along the top of the frame structure at each side of the machine. As seen in Figure l from the side of the machine, the plate I2, which is identical to plate I3, has a reinforced upper ledge portion I2a providing a bearing support for a plurality of shafts I5, I6, I1 'and I 8 which extend between the plates I'2 and I3.

Power for yrotating the shafts I5, I6 and Il is provided by an' electric motor 20 driving through a speed reducer 2| and a take-offv shaft 22 eX- tending from the reducer.` A collar 23, freely rotatable lon the shaft I1, carries three sprockets 24, 25 and 2B (Figure 2)l and is driven by a chain 2l disposed overa sprocket 28 on the shaft 22 and over the sprocket 24. When the collar 23 is'rot is trained over the sprocket'l2'5 and over sprocket' 30 keyed to the shaft Y I8', causes rotation of the shaft I8. A chain 3I.

trained over the sprocket 26 and a sprocket 32 on the shaft I6 causes rotation of this shaft I6. The

shaft I is driven from the shaft I6 by a sprocket l and chain drive 33. Thus, when the motor 28 is operating, the shafts I5, I6 and I8 are being continuously rotated. It is to be noted that the shaft I1 is stationary at this time.

For the purpose of applying glue to the web W of the wrapping machine, four axially spaced shoes 34 are keyed to the shaft I5. Eachshoe carries two spring pressed pads 34a (Fig. 3) which, when the shaft I5 is rotated, contact the web of wrapping paper W and press it down -wardly against four spaced glue rollers 35. The rollers 35 are mounted on a shaft 36, which is rotatably journaled on the plates I2 and I3. A glue pot 31 is supported beneath the rollers 35 by angle members 38 (Figure 2) which are mounted by rods 36a from the plates I2 and I3. Thus four sets of spaced pairs of glue spots are applied to the wrapper. As will be described hereinafter, a cutter mechanism is synchronized with the movement of the web and is effective to sever the web laterally of the machine at a point between the glue spots so that both the trailing end of the rst wrapper sheet and the leading edge of the next wrapper sheet will have four laterally spaced spots of glue.

The web W is `drawn from a supply roll 38 mounted on a rod 39a which is freely journalled ybetween upright members of the frame structure. The width of the paper is, of course, greater than the width of the roll to be wrapped.

After the glue spots are applied to the web W, the web passes between a plurality of feed rollers 40 keyed to the shaft I6 and a cooperating roller 4I which is freely journaled on a shaft 42. This shaft 42 is guided at both ends for vertical movement in slot 43 in the plates I2 and I3. The roller 4I is urged against the roller 48 by springs 45 which are mounted on a rod 46 between a shoulder 41 secured to the plate I2 and a ange 46a on the rod. The rod 46 has a collar 49 disposed around the shaft 42. Thus, the cooperating rollers 48 and 4I frictionally advance the web for a predetermined distance until cams 43 secured to the shaft I6 contact rollers 58 on the top of the rods 46 causing the rods and the shaft 42 at the lower end thereof to move downwardly in the slot 43. Thus, while the high points of the cam 42 are in contact with the rollers 5U the web will be motionless.

During the interval in which the web W is motionless, a cutter mechanism 52 severs the web laterally of the machine between the two lines of laterally spaced glue spots as previously mentioned. This mechanism comprises a plurality of cutter arms 54, Figure 3, keyed to the shaft I1 and spaced laterally thereacross, having a cross brace 55 welded to the top surfaces of the arms and a blade 56 secured to the outer free end of the arm. Angle members 58 are secured to the inner face of plates I2 and I3 to support coil springs 58 which extend between the angle members 58 and the cross brace 55. The springs 6D normally urge the cutter blade upwardly in a counterclockwise direction to the dotted line position of Fig. 3.

The stationary blade 62 is supported by a cross frame member 62a, and cooperates with the swinging knife blade 56 to effect the cutting of the web.

The cutter blade 56 is swung downwardly in a cutting stroke by means of a segmental gear 64 which is keyed to the shaft I8 and in mesh, during a portion of its rotation, with a gear 65 keyed to the shaft I1. As seen in Fig. 3, the cutter blade 56 is normally urged to its upper dotted line position by the springs 60. When the teeth on the gear 64 mesh with the teeth on the gear 55 the gear 65 is rotated in a clockwise direction causing the shaft I1 and the cutter arms tc ,1=of"/l tate and move the blade 56 gglvvn/tocutting position Opposite the stationary blade 62.

The length of the sheet that is cut is somewhat greater than the periphery of the roll so that the trailing end will overlap the leading edge and be glued thereon.

The rolls of paper to be wrapped are fed into the machine from the front on a ramp 61 which is inclined to permit the rolls to move by gravity into position on a rotary conveyor 68. The conveyor 68 comprises a pair of identical spider members 1U having radially extending arms 12 that have slightly hooked outer end portions 13. As seen in Fig. 2, each spider is keyed to a shaft 15 that is journaled in the members of the frame structure I8 and have end portions 15a and 15b that extend slightly beyond the frame.

The end 15a carries a gear 11 which is in mesh with a gear 18 keyed to the take-off shaft 22. The gear 18 is a segmental gear having teeth 18a (Figure 4) on only a portion of its periphery. A circular plate 19 is suitably secured to the gear 18 for rotation therewith and is provided with a peripheral recessed portion 19a directly adjacent the teeth 18a. The gear 11 carries a cam plate 8I of substantially circular configuration. A series of equally spaced arcuate cut outs 88 are provided in the periphery of the plate 8|. These cuts outs 93 have the same curvature as the periphery of the plate 19, so that the plate 1S will freely pass through these cut outs as the gear 18 rotates, but will prevent the plate 8I and the gear 11 from rotating.

The number of teeth 18a on the gear 18 corresponds to the number of teeth on the gear 11 between adjacent cut outs 83, Thus, as the shaft 22 rotates, the gear Iwill periodically index the gear 11 and the shaft 15 from one cut out to the next. The spiders 18 secured to the shaft 15 are, therefore, arranged to be rotated periodically to move the rolls R through the wrapping machine.

It is a feature of the wrapping machine that the cylindrical rolls to be wrapped are continuously rotated about their own axis as they are carried along by the conveyor. As will be seen hereinafter, this rotation of the roll causes the wrapper to be disposed around the roll, aids in the tucking down of the end portions of the Wrapper and effects the application of a ring of glue on the ends of the wrapper.

To obtain this rotation of the roll shafts 84 are disposed between the arms 12 of the spider members 18. These shafts 84 are freely rotatable in the arm and carry spaced rollers 85 against which the cylindrical rolls rest while they are on the conveyor. A gear 81 is keyed to each shaft and is in mesh with a large central gear 89 that has an integrally formed cylindrical sleeve portion disposed over the drive shaft 15. This sleeve is pinned to a gear 9I that is in mesh with a gear 82 4driven from the take-off shaft 22,

Thus, the spider members 1G with their arms 12 are positively driven through the shaft 15 while the rollers 85 are independently rotated through the gears 61, 89, 9| and 82 from the take-off shaft 22.

Referring to Fig. 8, the rolls R are fed into the 'conveyor from the chute E71 against the rollers A85.

An arm 'I3 of the spider member 'IG lifts the roller R and starts it through the Wrapping machine. When the roll gets' into position of the roll Ri, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the Weight Aof the roll itself holds it against the rollers 85 andl the arms l. v

When the carrier 68 is indexed two'positions and the roll gets into the position iiidicatedmby roll R2, the leading glued edge of a Wrapper W is pressed against the roll by a wrapping and tucking mechanism e5 and subseduenthrotation of the roll R2 by the rollers 85 causes the wrapper to be completely folded around the roll and the trailing glued edg'eis pressed down in overlapping relation on the leading edge.

As best seen in Fig. 5, the wrapping and tuck ing mechanism 95 comprisesa guide plate 96 of heavy guage sheet metal' that has side marginal portions dta folded downwardly at an angle so that the forward edge 96h of the plate is narrower than the rear edge 96o' and corresponds in width substantially to the width of one of the cylindrical rolls being wrapped. Tlfi'ev folded down portions Sta are folded upwardly toward the inside to provide an inner wall 96d that decreases in height toward the rear of the plate. The' web W is threaded into this guide plate at the rear end and emerges [at the forward end an inyerte'd channel-shape with down turned ends W1 that nt over the edge of the cylindrical roll R and are tucked thereagainst as shown in Fig. v

At each side of the guide plate 96, Fig. 2, a roller assembly 98 is mountedon a bracket 99 supported from the frame I. Each roller assembly includes la plurality of roller elements that l are freely rotatable on shaft IUI and are positioned close against the roll R2 so that the wrapper must pass between the roll R2 and the roller its as shown in Fig. 6. Thus, the roller assembly will tend to atten the wrapper end against the roll R2.

As seen in Figs. 3 and 6, the channel-shaped wrapper is being drawn around the roll R2 due to the fact that the leading edge of the wrapper is glued thereon. Since the side edge of the wrapper is confined attheV point 96d by the guide plate 5S and at the point 98d bythe roller assembly tit, it will tend to buckle between these two confining points and form an upstariding Viiap IllE. Then, as the roll R2 continues .to rotate the nap to2 is ironed down by the roller assembly 98. As each succeeding nap IIIZ is formed, itis pressed down until the entire roll is enclosed with end flaps as shown in Fig 3. l

At the wrapper afxing station the roll R2 is pressed against the rotating roll 85 by means of a pairI of rollers |93 which are pivotally mounted from the plates I2 and I3 by leversy |04 on pins Ide. A compression spring |06 disposed between an opstanding harige |91 and an abutmentflange its on the roller i'S urges the roller |03 against the guide member 9S to exert pressure against the roll R2 to urge it against the rollers 85.

Guide bars I il! are spaced around the conveyor being welded to cross the braces I I I ofthe frame structure.

The roll R3 is urged against the rollers 85 by means of a pressure roll II 3 which is springloaded exactly in a manner similar to roller |63 previously described. Similarly the roll R4 is urged against rollers 85 by means of spring-loaded pressure roller IM. `In the station indicated by the roll R4 a ring of glue is applied on the end tucked surfaceof the wrapper. Referring t`o`Figs.

1 and 7 it is seenY that a rotatasieueiue wheel IIS is freely journaled in a bearing I I'I which is Su-pi ported at the end of a bracketv I- I8 from the frame of the machine. The roller II6 rotates through glue in a glue pot I2Il and due to the rotation of the roll R4 deposits a ring of glue around the tucked ends of the roll.v 'It will, of course, be understood that one of the glue rollers is disposed on either side of the machine opposite the end of the roll for applying glue thereto.

In Fig. 3 a roll R5 is illustrated in the end disk aflixing position on a cradleelike support |22 at the'upperlend of a support member' |23'. While the roll is iiuhiscposition, a disk |25 is cut out of a web of papeitliatyissfegljrom `a feed roll |26 (Fig. 2) into a hydraulicallybperatedcutter mechanism |28. As fully described in my issued Patent No. 2,368,213, the hydraulically operated mechanism in the housing |28 includes means for cutting a circular disk' of paper from the web and pushing it forwardly against the glued end surface of the wrapper. The pressure from the mechanism causes the end disk to be gripped by the glue and thus the roll R5 is completely enclosed in paper. Subsequent movement of the conveyor 'I8 will cause the roll R5' to be expelled from the machine into any suitable receptacle.

The hydraulic cutter mechanism |128y is supe plied with fluid under power from a pump |35 (Fig. 3) driven from a motor |3 through a belt |32. Suitable piping is connected from the pump to the hydraulic cylinder byway of a control unit |36 (Fig. l). A supply line |31 leads to unit |36 while a supply line |38l leads from the unit to one side of the hydraulic cylinder and a supply line |39 leads to the other side of the hydraulic cylinder. A plunger Mo extends' out of the cone trol unit It for contact with a cam I4I on a cam disk |42 which is driven from a take off shaft IfiS from the speed reducer 2|. The plunger |40 controls the flow of uid under pressure to the supply lines |33 and |39. Thu'gin one position uid is directed to the line |38 to cause the cut-v ter to move forwardly and sever a circular disk of paper from the feed web andpress it against the end of the wrapper. In the other setting iiuid is applied to the line |39 which is connected to the far side ofthe piston and cause the return of the piston to its initial position.

In summary this invention features a compact open frame support structure inside of which a rotary Ycarrier 68 is intermittently rotated by means of the cam-'gear drive illustrated in Figure 4i. Rolls of paper to be wrapped are fed by gravity into the rotary carrier and are disposed between the arm members I2 and against the positively driven rollers B5 which are rotated about their own axis as the carrier moves the roll in a circular path.

At the wrapper applying station a sheet of paper of a length greater than the periphery of the roll and a width greater than the width of the roll is centered over the roll by the novel guide and the leading edge of the wrapper, to which glueY has previously been applied, is pressed down against the roll. Therefore, as the roll continues to rotate aboutit's own axis, the wrapper is wrapped around the lateral surface of the roll.

The wrapper leaves the guide 95 in a channel shape with the overhanging edges bent downwardly against the side of the roll. The roll assemblies 98 press these edges against the end face of the roll causing flapsto be formed immediatel'y in front of the roller assemblies. As

the roll continues to rotate, the aps are ironed down by the rollers.

At the next station of the wrapping machine a circle of glue is applied to the downturned fiaps to subsequently receive an end cap thereon at the last station of the machine.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that there is provided in this invention, a compact ecient wrapping machine for completely enclosing a cylindrical object in a sheet of paper.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

l. A wrapping machine comprising a support structure dening a central open space, a driven shaft journalled in said structure and extending across said space, a cam operated drive mechanism for intermittently rotating said driven shaft, a carrier having spaced web members keyed to said shaft, each web member having a plurality of angularly spaced, radially extending arms aligned with the arms of the other web member, a drive shaft journalled between each pair of aligned arms, rollers keyed to each drive shaft, means for rotating the drive shaft to cause continuous rotation of said rollers, means supported on said structure for delivering a roll to said carrier, means for pressing said roll against said rollers during movement of said carrier, power means for actuating said intermittent drive mechanism to cause movement of said carrier successively through a plurality of stations including a wrapping station,ra gluing station and an end-capping station, a cutter arranged to cut a sheet of wrapping paper to a predetermined length, a mechanism for applying glue to the under surface of the leading and trailing edges of the sheet, feed rolls for delivering a sheet of wrapping paper to said wrapping station, a guide member for pressing said sheet against said roll to glue the leading edge of the sheet thereto, a second guide member contacting the edge of said wrapper sheet and pressing 1t against the end face of said roll and holding it thereagainst at two spaced points permitting buckling of the edge between the points to form a flap and pressing said flap down against the end face of the roll, a glue wheel on each side of said structure for applying glue to the end iiaps of the wrapper, and means for cutting a circular cap member from a supply YVroll and pressing it against said glued end ap to seal the end of the wrapper.

2, A wrapping machine comprising an intermittently operated carrier for advancing a roll to be wrapped through a Wrapping station comprising means for continuously rotating the roll about its axis while in the wrapping station, means for delivering a sheet of wrapping paper of a length greater than the periphery of the roll and a width greater than the width of the roll to said wrapping station, a guide member cooperating with said sheet delivering means and said continuously rotating roll for centering the sheet over the roll, wrapping the sheet of paper around the lateral surface of the roll and tucking the overlapping ends of the sheet' down on the end faces of the roll, comprising an inverted U-shaped channel member having a Width slightly greater than the width of the roll to be wrapped and leg portions extending parallel to the end faces of said roll.

3. A wrapping machine comprising a support vafname guide member cooperating with said confllb/ rotating roll for centering the sheet/ r the roll, wrapping the sheet @peper/around the lateral surface of/ thefroil and tucking the overlapping/entrer the sheet down on the end faces M//of the roll comprising an inverted U-shaped channel member having a width slightly greater than the width of a roll to be wrapped and leg portions extending parallel to the end faces of said roll and rollers mounted on said support structure adjacent the end of said channel member at each side thereof and arranged to contact the edges of the wrapper that have been previously folded down by the legs of the channel member.

4. A Wrapping machine comprising an intermittently operated carrier for advancing a roll to be wrapped through a wrapping station comprising means for continuously rotating the roll about its own axis while in the wrapping station, means for delivering a sheet of wrapping paper of a length greater than the periphery of the roll and a width greater than the width of the roll to said wrapping station, a guide member cooperating with said continuously rotating roll for centering the sheet, wrapping the sheet cf paper around the lateral surface of the roll and tucking the overlapping edges of the sheet down on the end faces of the roll, comprising an inverted U-shaped channel member having a wrapper entrant portion of a width to receive the wrapper between short leg portions thereof and having a wrapper discharge portion of a width slightly greater than the width of a roll to be wrapped, and having relatively long leg portions adjacent the discharge portion adapted to bend the side edges of the wrapper down to form flaps for the end faces of the roll.

5. A wrapping machine comprising an intermittently operated carrier for advancing a roll to be wrapped through a wrapping station comprising means for continuously rotating the roll about its axis while in the wrapping station, means for delivering a sheet of wrapping paper of a length greater than the periphery of the roll and a width greater than the width of the roll to said wrapping station and a guide member cooperating with said continuously rotating roll for centering the sheet, wrapping the sheet of paper around the lateral surface of the roll and tucking the overlapping ends of the sheet down on the end faces of the roll comprising an inverted U-shaped channel member having a wrapper entrant portion with a central flat guide surface of a width to receive the wrapper therein between short downwardly extending legs at either side for centering the wrapper in the guide means and causing it to assume an inverted U-shape and having a wrapper discharge portion of a width slightly greater than the width of a roll and having relatively long leg portions adapted to bend the said edges of the wrapper down to form flaps for the end faces of the roll, and a wall member at each marginal edge spaced from said leg members conning the downturned edges Aof the wrapper between the 9 10 wal] members and the leg members as it passes Number Name Date therethrough. 1,663,554 Meyer-Jagenberg Mar. 27, 1928 CARL A. GERLACH. 1,701,765 Thompson Feb. 12, 1929 1,817,017 Norton Aug. 4, 1931 References Cited in the file of this patent 5 1,330,926 Egenolf Oct, 4J 1932 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,926,281 Hartman Sept. 12, 1933 Number Name Date 2,110,814 Parsons Mar. 8, 1938 833,896 Rexroth et a1 oct. 23, 1906 fflger AFI@ 2g 1,010,080 Feibusch Nov. 28, 1911 4 91 10 2,355,249 Szabo Aug. 8, 1944 1f026049 Power May 1 f 1 2 2,363,213 Gerlach Jan. 30, 1945 1,417,956 Varga May 30, 1922 

